Synchromysticism

" Synchromysticism:
The art of realizing meaningful coincidence in the seemingly mundane with mystical or esoteric significance."

- Jake Kotze

July 14, 2018

Ruben Guthrie, Alcoholism and Bundaberg Rum?

Gyton Grantley as Ruben Guthrie
I was sorting through a box of old magazines and pamphlets and came across an old program from a play I had seen years ago in Brisbane that was written by fellow Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks supporter Brendan Cowell.
The play was 'Ruben Guthrie' and starred Gyton Grantley who is currently the face of Bundaberg Rum commercials ironicly enough, as 'Ruben Guthrie' is about Ruben Guthrie, who works as an advertisement executive and leads a lifestyle of a party boy and lives in a house on the water with his model fiancรฉe. 
He's at the top of his game until Ruben lands at the bottom of his infinity pool from some drunken skylarking.
Ruben's fiancรฉe leaves him, but says she'll get back with him if he can go a year without drinking.

Gyton in the shark scene in the
Bundy Rum
commercial
The August (Leo) Eclipse and Deeper Down the Dragonhole in the Game of Thrones
A movie was made from the play, but it didn't star Gyton as Ruben.
Sarah Blasko also sung a song for the 'Ruben Guthrie' soundtrack called 'Halfway to Heaven'.
I ran into Sarah last year and wrote this post about that encounter -
An Arrow, I Awake
Sarah and I share September 23rd as our birthdays, as well, but I don't think that she is a Shark supporter like I am though.
My Happiest Birthday Ever
I was drinking champagne for most of that year, not rum;-)
Gyton Grantley in the Bundaberg Rum commercial
"Bundaberg Rum is a dark rum produced in Bundaberg, Australia, by the Bundaberg Distilling Company.
It is often referred to as "Bundy".
The Bundaberg Distilling Company owns its own cola-producing facility, which supplies the cola for its ready-to-drink Bundaberg Rum and Cola products.
Bundaberg Rum originated because the local sugar mills had a problem with what to do with the waste molasses after the sugar was extracted (it was heavy, difficult to transport and the costs of converting it to stock feed were rarely worth the effort).
Sugar men first began to think of the profits that could be made from distilling.
The vital meeting was held at the Royal Hotel on 1 August 1885, W M C Hickson served as the chairman, and other notables in attendance included all the big sugar mill owners of that time, W G Farquhar, F L Nott, T Austin, S McDougall, T Penny, S H Bravo and A H Young, all to become the first directors of the Company.
They started with a capital of 5,000.
The Bundaberg Distilling Company began its operations in 1888.
Bundaberg rum was first produced in 1889, production ceased from 1907 to 1914 and from 1936 to 1939 after fires, the second of which caused rum from the factory to spill into the nearby Burnett River.
"
Alcoholism
"Is alcohol dependence a misplaced expression of a spiritual thirst, or a collapse into a regressed and infantile state?
We discuss Jung's involvement in the establishment of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Jung's letter to Bill W.
"
"In 1961, the company introduced the polar bear as its unusual choice of mascot, to imply that the rum could ward off the coldest chill."
"In 2000, the Bundaberg Rum company and distillery were sold to British company Diageo.
In 2014, a decision by Diageo to relocate the bottling operations of Queensland's iconic drink, "Bundaberg Rum", to the western Sydney suburb of Huntingwood resulted in local job losses in the city that bears its name.
The decision drew criticism from all levels of Queensland politics:
Premier Campbell Newman said it was a disappointing move, particularly in a region that had suffered devastating floods in recent years.
" 
"Bundaberg mayor Mal Forman said "I'm saddened by the announcement, but I had been assured the company had a commitment to the city".
Cr Forman said "I understood demand for bottled Bundaberg Rum had declined as more people bought pre-mixed cans, a trend I wanted no part of".
Later a Diageo spokeswoman clarified by saying "Some premium products, such as the Master Distillers Collection, would continue to be bottled in Bundaberg.
This was not a decision we have taken lightly, however it is a necessary one to ensure the longer term sustainability of the distillery.
We remain absolutely committed to Bundaberg and the distillery and will continue to invest and focus on our core business of distilling, maturing and blending great quality rum in Bundaberg as we have done for the last 125 years.""
I thought Chris Knowles at 'The Secret Sun' blog would get a kick out of Sarah's song 'An Oyster, A Pearl' and the movie 'Mermaids' that Gyton Grantley starred in.
Coffee and the Siren's Song
Starring Gyton Grantley as Tim
Gyton Grantley in 'South Pacific'
Starring Gyton Grantley
I had my wedding reception in the Beenleigh Rum distillery in 1988, which was the year Bundaberg Rum was celebrating its centenary.
Rum leaves nothing but a bitter taste in my mouth these days.
I think everything is connected in more ways than we will ever know.
Sync or surf?!
Drink responsibly ... and GO THE SHARKIES!!!
Starring Gyton Grantley as Matt
Cheers.

UPDATE: 15th July, 2018
I saw this tragic news story after writing the above post about alcoholism -
I also saw this post about a novel that I have been planning on reading soon ... if I could just get off the internet -
Maybe Infinite Jest is About Addiction

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